Family History News and Views from Lisa Louise Cooke, host of The Genealogy Gems Podcast at www.GenealogyGems.com

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Rare Video of The Man Behind Who Do You Think You Are?

Realscreen on location: Wall to Wall's Alex Graham

We've heard much from Ancestry, Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky on the U.S. version of the TV series Who Do You Think You Are? that is climbing the ratings in popularity. However, Alex Graham is THE man behind the show. WDYTYA is his baby in the UK, and partnership with him was critical to it's crossing the Atlantic.

I've been aware of Alex for several years. He is the CEO of the British media production company Wall to Wall. As Alex mentions in this video interview at the RealScreen Summit 2010, along with Who Do You Think You Are?, Wall to Wall is best known for their PBS House Series. The most recent House mini series featured me and my family in "1867."

The House Series did well for Wall to Wall until it unfortunately fell prey to the "unreality" of Reality TV editing and conflict manufactured by an over zealous production crew that occurred in our mini-series. And it was that decline that made me skeptical of WDYTYA? coming to the U.S. However when their focus is not conflict but rather inspiration, Wall to Wall does an admiral job of it.